Eurovision again. Hurrah!

[Andalublue]

I'm sure I'm one of very few people here who care about Eurovision, and even then 'care' is overstating things a bit. I love it, and I follow the shenanigans in the preceding few weeks and I am always, always hugely entertained by it. How about you?

Have you checked out the runners and riders this year? I have. I'm that sad. And yet gay, in multiple senses.

If you have any interest let us know who you'll be rooting for tomorrow night. I shall be sheering on the following:

Portugal - the most un-Eurovision, quiet little jazz number by a guy who appears to have Asperger's. Very quirky. Adorable.

Italy - sharp as a knife satirical lyrics, and you can't say that about many Eurovision songs. It's a great pop song, reminds a bit of Miguel Bosé or the Pet Shop Boys. Favourite to win by almost everyone.

Netherlands - from Amsterdam via Nashville. Razor sharp harmonies on a sweet, but hardly cutting edge song. It's the performance that elevates this. Those girls can really sing!

Hungary - hip-hop and gypsy violin really can work together. I think this is musically the best song by a country (geddit!) mile. I would buy this song and an album of this style of music.

Romania - probably my favourite song because it is sooo Eurovision. Where else are you going to be treated to a mash-up of soft rock, rap and yodelling?? I know it's mad, incredibly un-hip and just a bit ridiculous, but I defy anyone to watch this video and not come away from it with a smile.

Ilinca ft. Alex Florea

If anyone is online between 9pm and 12 midnight (CET) tomorrow, I'll be here on this thread dropping comment. Join me for the DPESC, not necessarily 'deepest', chat tomorrow.

Oh, and if you have seen any of the entries, who do you think (not hope) but think will win?

 

[Apocalypse]

I checked out the songs yesterday before the 2nd semi, most of them are boring.
Italy will probably win after they deserved to win but didn't in the last two years. Their song is catchy and the lyrics are surprisingly brilliant for what you'd expect from Eurovision.
If not Italy then it could only come from Bulgaria or Sweden I guess.

Personally my favorites are Azerbaijan and France(But the English lyrics kinda ruined it).

 

[Andalublue]

I checked out the songs yesterday before the 2nd semi, most of them are boring.
Italy will probably win after they deserved to win but didn't in the last two years. Their song is catchy and the lyrics are surprisingly brilliant for what you'd expect from Eurovision.
If not Italy then it could only come from Bulgaria or Sweden I guess.

Personally my favorites are Azerbaijan and France(But the English lyrics kinda ruined it).

Not keen on either, but I can see why others might. I hate it when people slip in terrible English lyrics into something in their own language that sounds fine. I really liked a Romanian song a couple of years ago (Voltaj - De La Capat) but then they stuck some terrible English chorus in and the singer couldn't pronounce it properly. Ruined it.

I've got a big soft spot for people who sing in their own language anyway. I hate all those paint-by-numbers Scandipop songs, all in English. Honestly, they could create a computer algorithm to write those. Algorhythmic, if you like. I may have to use that again.

 

[Andalublue]

Well, I'm here. Anyone going to join me?

 

[Chagos]

Well, I'm here. Anyone going to join me?

Whoever you favour, I hope he/she/they win(s).:mrgreen:

Just piping in so that you two (so far) don't feel completely abandoned.

For me it might be some Floyd time tonight with maybe a bit of Knopfler thrown in (not to forget Clapton and possibly some Mumford).:lol:

 

[Andalublue]

Whoever you favour, I hope he/she/they win(s).:mrgreen:

Just piping in so that you two (so far) don't feel completely abandoned.

For me it might be some Floyd time tonight with maybe a bit of Knopfler thrown in (not to forget Clapton and possibly some Mumford).:lol:

Thanks for the solidarity, Chagos! Enjoy your Dad Rock. I'm more in the mood for yodelling rap, wind machines and 'Allo 'Allo pronunciation. We're only on the second song and we've had two out of the three already!

 

[Andalublue]

Norton's on great form already. On the Belarus couple: "They look like two hippies at a wedding".

 

[Chagos]

Thanks for the solidarity, Chagos! Enjoy your Dad Rock. I'm more in the mood for yodelling rap, wind machines and 'Allo 'Allo pronunciation. We're only on the second song and we've had two out of the three already!

Last "indigeneous language" entry I kind of enjoyed was Massiel. It's not so much my getting old (undisputed anyway), more a case of having given up after Abba.

Better said WITH Abba.

I've never seen ESC (or Grand Prix) as a measure of what's really out there. Or there'd have been some pointers to this one (speaking of holla-dihoo)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tfEOs5EVCc

Needless to say Hubert and Gang would have declined participation.

Whole playlist in there if you find the time and inclination, traditional (totally non-) Bavarian oohm-tata-oohm-tata included.

 

[Andalublue]

We're a third of the way through now and amazingly for Eurovision, there hasn't been a real stinker yet. In fact there have been three of four really great songs. Top for me so far are Hungary, Netherlands and Italy.

 

[Apocalypse]

Congrats to Italy. They deserve it.

 

[Andalublue]

Hmmm... I don't think our taxes will be going to pay for Eurovision 2018 in Madrid!

 

[Andalublue]

Congrats to Italy. They deserve it.

I think you might be counting unhatched chickens. Italy's song's great, but the performance wasn't as good as I've seen him do before and it certainly didn't get the biggest reaction in the hall. If the crowd's anything to go by, it's between Portugal and Netherlands.

 

[Infinite Chaos]

Well, I'm here. Anyone going to join me?

Half my Facebook contacts are watching that pile of rubbish right now. Our best and most cutting edge acts don't need this show and the acts we do put up are facing the best from their own countries.

Can you imagine Rag and Bone Man or Adele for example having to do Eurovision for their big break? In fact, if we put Adele up she'd receive "Null Points" from hypocrites voting against her even while selling millions of albums on the continent at the same time.

 

[Andalublue]

Half my Facebook contacts are watching that pile of rubbish right now. Our best and most cutting edge acts don't need this show and the acts we do put up are facing the best from their own countries.

Can you imagine Rag and Bone Man or Adele for example having to do Eurovision for their big break? In fact, if we put Adele up she'd receive "Null Points" from hypocrites voting against her even while selling millions of albums on the continent at the same time.

Yah boo! Who wants cutting edge? Who wants 'now'? Who wants relevant or credible? We want catchy tunes, fabulous staging and lots of glittery frocks. Personally, I can't stand Adele, but bigger stars than her have launched their careers at Eurovision, so I fart in your general direction. eace

 

[Chagos]

Yah boo! Who wants cutting edge? Who wants 'now'? Who wants relevant or credible? We want catchy tunes, fabulous staging

Then why watch ESC?:2razz:

and lots of glittery frocks.

Okay, granted

Personally, I can't stand Adele,

who's that?

but bigger stars than her have launched their careers at Eurovision, so I fart in your general direction. eace

No doubt smelling of elderberries:mrgreen:

Just pulling yer leg, enjoy what you enjoy.

 

[Manc Skipper]

Only just got here. I thought the brief glimpse I got of Spain during GN's rundown of the vote numbers, they were quite catchy. What are the Aussies doing here? For the beer?

 

[ThirdTerm]

Sweden was quite impressive but I'm betting on Demy from Greece.

 

[Manc Skipper]

"I Like her! She's like your auntie with a glass of wine!" G Norton.

 

[Apocalypse]

I'm changing my vote to Portugal. :2razz:

 

[Andalublue]

Three hours late and a euro short, but welcome guys!

We're about half-way through the jury voting and it's looking good for my fave. My favourite song was Hungary's, but my favourite overall package - song, performance, staging - has been Portugal.

I've been listening to Salvador Sobral's album Excuse Me. If you like really chilled, laid-back jazz, check it out. Genuinely good!

 

[Andalublue]

I'm changing my vote to Portugal. :2razz:

Very wise!

I didn't know IBA was being killed. What's that about?

 

[Apocalypse]

Very wise!

I didn't know IBA was being killed. What's that about?

It's been working in a very dated fashion and all the reforms they tried to get it through didn't help, so it's being replaced by hopefully a better body, the IBC (Israeli Broadcasting Corporation).
This Eurovision is the last thing they'll broadcast before the IBC takes over.

 

[Apocalypse]

Congrats to Portugal, I thought the song was kidna boring but then again it's Eurovision so I just don't understand it.

 

[Andalublue]

I love Eurovision!!!!

Fantastic! I loved that song, love Salvador and love the fact that after 52 years Portugal has finally won.

 

[Andalublue]

Congrats to Portugal, I thought the song was kidna boring but then again it's Eurovision so I just don't understand it.

Sure you do. As well as anyone else does. It's Eurovision, so it's not meant to be predictable, or logical. I'm kinda renown amongst friends and colleagues for being a hater of jazz, but I loved that song. Makes no sense. Good! Viva, Eurovision! And next year it's only going to be a 5-hour drive away. I shall be there.